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Smokin' Aces
Directed by: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Jeremy Piven
Genre:
Action/Adventure
Run Time: 108
min.
Release Date:
January 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
This film is one of those
guilty pleasures. Sexy ladies, blood splatter, guns a-blazing, and
action sequences galore.
But it’s also much more than that. Jeremy Piven isn’t really known as a
lead actor. His drug-addled yet funny portrayal in GROSSE POINT BLANK
(beside lead actor John Cusack) cemented him as a powerfully funny if
somewhat despicable character, and this is something he uses to great
advantage in SMOKIN’ ACES.
The story is that of Buddy “Aces” Israel (Piven), a Vegas magician
turned mobster who’s out to get as much recognition and cash as he can
and be damned the consequences. But when a hit is put out on him — and
he learns of it — Buddy turns to the Feds for a deal; he plans to tell
all of what he knows regarding mob business in Nevada before someone
rips his heart out (both figuratively and literally).
Enter agents Messner (Ryan Reynolds) and Carruthers (Ray Liotta, WILD
HOGS), two G-men assigned to protect Buddy and take him out of his Lake
Tahoe safe-haven and into protective custody.
In the meantime, the contract on Buddy’s life has gotten great notice by
those in the rub-out business (the price tag on Buddy’s head is $1
million). A trio of demented and toothless brothers with a penchant for
bloody ends, a master of disguise, two sexy ladies with some powerful
guns, and even an unfortunate bounty hunter (played by Ben Affleck,
HOLLYWOODLAND)
get involved to no good ends.
Eventually the deal with Buddy falls through, and the FBI renigs on its
offer of protection, leaving Buddy wide-open to his newfound enemies.
Unbeknownst to our two G-men, they come into Buddy’s hotel with some
hitmen (and women) in front and behind them. Blood is sure to fly, and
it does with little remorse and plenty of abandon.
The big question is why did the FBI pull out its offer of protection.
Old FBI plans and super-duper secret undercover cases come boiling back
and threaten to spill over onto everyone’s lap, especially onto
Messner’s who has to deal with the death of someone close to him and the
possibility of corruption from within the very department he’s dedicated
his life to.
It is Jeremy Piven’s who carries a large part of Smokin’ Aces. His
sexually depraved and drug sniffing personae was spot-on and made
watchers both love and loathe him in the same breath. We despise him,
but love how he handles the terribleness of his new situation.
This is definitely a great film to watch when you’re in the mood for the
spray of crimson and shoot ‘em up action.
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Image from Smokin' Aces
DVD cost: $23.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
The song "Ace of Spades"
by the metal group Motorhead is played in the beginning of the
film, introducing the Tremors, the neo-Nazi redneck bounty hunters.
Movie Quote: "We've
gotta get to Israel before they do."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Smokin' Aces
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